Chapter 14
"Did you think it would be that easy, Agent Barton?" Clint stirred, trying to recognize the voice in his head. "Have you not learned you can't get rid of me?" Suddenly, Clint's brain filled with blue. Everywhere he looked, everything around him was covered in that hideous shade of blue. Clint shook his head, trying to get him out of his brain.
"Loki, you son of a bitch. Leave me the hell alone. You don't have control of me anymore."
"Oh, but don't I, Hawkeye?" Sneering, the Asgardian pulled his scepter from behind his back and aimed it toward Mikayla. "One touch. One touch and she's mine. Her mind has been weakened, so it will be no effort to bring her to my side. Replace one Barton with another."
"Touch her, and I'll kill you," Clint growled.
"Tsk, tsk. Midgardians, always thinking they have any say in the matter." Loki waved his hand over Clint's body, and Clint found himself tied up against a stone pillar, not tight enough to cut off circulation but tight enough he couldn't move. Clint watched as Loki reached over to stroke Mikayla's face. Clint tried to scream to warn Mikayla, but a metal device covered his mouth.
Loki leaned over and whispered into Clint's ear. "I believe the saying goes, turnabout is fair play, Agent Barton." It was then Clint realized the apparatus that had shut up Loki when Thor returned him to Asgard was now around his mouth and jaw, rendering him unable to speak. Clint started shaking his head again, trying to get the gag to move. "No need to struggle, Barton. It's Asgardian technology. You do not have the strength to remove it. Only I can remove it if I decide to." Loki ran a long, thin index finger along Mikayla's jawline. "I will see how useful this one can be before I make that decision," Clint growled and tried to lunge at him but couldn't break the bonds holding him against the pillar. "I appreciate the tenacity, but as I said, there's no need to struggle. Your only job is to watch as I unmake her, then make her into something better, something stronger."
Clint felt himself falling, trying to scream and reach for Mikayla. He felt his back slam against something. "Clint?" He blinked to focus his eyes on the voice coming from above. "Clint?" The voice grew panicky, and he began to feel the floor vibrating.
The voice grew deeper. "Are you okay? Would you like some help?" Clint squeezed his eyes shut. When he decided to open them again, he saw Bruce bending over him, holding out his hand. "Here." Clint took a deep breath, realizing he was no longer bound to anything. He then nodded, took Bruce's hand, and allowed the doctor to help him off the hard tile floor. Bruce clasped Clint's elbow, helping to steady the archer as he led Clint to a chair next to the bed. "Back with us?"
Clint collapsed into the chair. "Mikayla?"
"Right here, Clint." His wife reached over, and Clint took her hand. "What happened?"
Clint growled through gritted teeth. "Loki." He was visibly shaking. "He – he tried to take you."
"You'd never let him," Mikayla softly said. "Come here." She gingerly scooted over the bed, making room again for Clint. Bruce helped her move and ensured the couple was securely on the bed. After confirming Clint was settled, Bruce slunk back into the lab. "What happened, Clint?" Mikayla repeated her question.
Clint wrapped his arms around Mikayla as tightly as he could, short of squeezing her to death like a python does its prey. He knew it was his way of making sure she was there. "He showed up, told me it would take one touch, and he'd have another Barton. I was tied up and gagged, and there was nothing I could do but watch him. He was going to force me to watch him turn you into one of his minions."
Mikayla gently ran her hands over Clint's head. "He's not here, Clint, never has been. Thor's reassured us he's back on Asgard, stripped of his powers."
Clint caressed Mikayla's arms. "I haven't had nightmares like that since…." His voice trailed off as he thought. "Well, I know they've lessened since I met you." He tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"I remember when we first got together, you used to wake up shivering. I kept turning the heat up and wrapping you in blankets." Mikayla laid her head on Clint's shoulder. "I hadn't given him a second thought until our honeymoon."
"I'd look at your eyes," Clint whispered, almost as if he was scared to admit it. Mikayla looked over at him. "They weren't blue. Once I saw them, I knew everything would be okay. Ironic, though, that being your favorite color."
"If it meant you would never have a nightmare again, I'd change it to yellow in a heartbeat."
Clint kissed her temple. "Don't. You wouldn't be you then. I've grown to associate blue with you."
The two sat deep in thought for several minutes. "What do you think caused it? What happened to me?"
"I'm no shrink, but that's my guess. Brought back memories of what I went through. And, before you say it, don't apologize. It's not your fault." Clint lifted one of her hands. "How are they?"
"Still achy, but they probably still have me on meds. I'm guessing I'll have to wear some splints."
The couple heard footsteps. Looking up, they saw Dr. Cho and Bruce enter the room from the lab. "You guessed correctly, Mikayla," Dr. Cho said. "We've got some soft splints for you to wear to help protect the bones. You'll wear them for about a month, and then we'll see how the bones are healing."
"Does that mean she can come back home now?" Clint asked.
"Not yet. We still need to let the rest of her body heal." The doctor turned her attention toward Mikayla. "You're still on a liquid diet. Once I'm sure you can handle that, we'll switch to a soft diet." Mikayla and Clint both sighed. Behind Doctor Cho, Bruce silently chuckled, realizing how alike the couple was. "We're not sure what type of nourishment you received during captivity."
Bruce interrupted. "We've learned a little from Bucky about how he was treated, fed mainly through IV nutrients and a nutrition bar here and there. I'm going out on a limb and guessing you were given the same treatment. " Bruce placed a comforting hand on her arm, " Mikayla, "your body's had several shocks to its system, some literally. We want to ensure you don't have relapses or adverse reactions. Remember, you only have a small dose of the serum in your body, so you still have a normal recovery time for injuries."
A tech entered carrying a tray holding a steaming bowl of soup and a Stark smoothie, placing it on the bedside table. Doctor Cho nodded, then motioned someone into the room. "We've got some broth for you. Think you can try that?" Mikayla's stomach spoke up and rumbled; everyone chuckled. "I guess that's a yes." "Clint?"
"I know, I know. I'm moving." Clint grumbled but relocated to a chair next to Mikayla's bed.
The tech left, and the doctors watched Mikayla. "What? I can't have food on my face since I haven't eaten anything."
Doctor Cho smiled. "We need to make sure you can use your hands, Mikayla."
"Oh, duh." Mikayla chuckled. Bruce wheeled the table next to Mikayla's bed where she could reach it. Mikayla tentatively reached for the mug, took a deep breath, and circled it with her hands. Slowly, she brought the cup to her lips and took a sip, then another. Before Mikayla knew it, she had devoured the entire mug and set it back on the table. "Oh, my God, that may be the best meal I've ever had."
"Don't forget the smoothie," Bruce said.
"Damn, you had to go and ruin the mood, didn't you?" Everyone chuckled since they all felt the same about Tony's concoction. "I'm holding my nose while drinking this."
"Noted."
Mikayla quickly picked up the glass, then, even quicker, downed the contents. She put the glass back down, scrunching up her nose, not hiding her feelings for the smoothie mix. "I'm requesting strawberry flavored for the next one." Mikayla crossed her arms across her body.
"Also noted," Bruce smiled as he took away the tray.
"How are they feeling?" Doctor Cho asked.
Mikayla grimaced. "Sore and stiff, which makes sense since I haven't used them in a while."
"That is to be expected. Since the breaks have been rejoined, we won't use typical casts or splints." The technician returned and handed some items to the doctor. "They're compression splints. It's the same principle as compression gloves, keeping pressure on the joints until they're strong enough to work consistently."
"I used to wear those gloves a lot during college." Mikayla turned to Clint. "Spent so much time typing I'd get tendonitis. The gloves helped with the pain."
"They should work the same way. They're custom-made."
"Thanks, Tony."
"Boss says you're welcome, Mikayla."
"Love you, Friday."
"The feeling is mutual, Mikayla. I'll let him know you've received the gloves."
"Where is he, anyway? I figured he'd want to be here for this."
"He has taken his wife and daughter to the zoo."
Mikayla chuckled. "Translation, he called Central Park Zoo and had them close just for him."
"I can neither confirm nor deny that information, other to say that is most likely where everyone else can be found."
Mikayla looked over at Clint. "Did you know?"
"Nope," Clint shook his head. "I've been here with you."
"I knew." The couple turned and looked at Bruce, who had reappeared carrying a Stark Industries t-shirt and a pair of sweats. "I'm giving you permission to join them, but you have to promise to stay in the wheelchair. So, since I know how much you hate wheelchairs, I'm coming along with the two of you." Bruce gave them his best stern doctor look. "Clint, go take a shower."
"But, what about?"
"Don't worry. Help is on the way."
"Help is here."